


Diplomacy And Bare Bottoms

by FruHallbera



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Darth Tantrum and his Evil Space Ginger, M/M, Minor Violence, Partial Nudity, Rescue, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 23:57:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FruHallbera/pseuds/FruHallbera
Summary: Hux gets imprisoned on a mission and it falls to Ren to get him out safely.Based on three conversation prompts from Tumblr:“Maybe you should stop trying to socialize. Everyone hates you.”“They’re behind me, aren’t they?”“I think it’s gone this way.”





	Diplomacy And Bare Bottoms

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on Tumblr (and I clean forgot to post it here, too), so a bit of editing later, here it is :)

“Maybe you should stop trying to socialize. Everyone hates you.”

Hux refused to dignify that with an answer. He curled up tighter hugging his knees to his chest and stared resolutely at the featureless, grey wall opposite him. _Ignore it, and it will go away,_ he thought, as he had done on numerous occasions and those words had served him well. Granted, those exact words had not been designed to be used against Kylo Ren, who apparently was in no way inclined to be deterred by Hux’s lack of attention.

“I was not here to _socialize_. I was sent on an important diplomatic mission. By _you_ ,” Hux ground out at last. And added, as acidly as he dared, “Supreme Leader.”

“Well, I’ve certainly learned my lesson. The next time I’ll send someone else. Like any of the rookie stormtroopers. I bet they’d do a better job than you.” And the addition Hux knew to wait for, in a tone just as sour as his own, “ _Grand Marshal_.”

“Look, how was I to know that the Sovereign would be so easily offended?”

“Because it’s your damned job to know!”

Hux shot up from the narrow berth he had been perching on, came to stand in front of Ren and managed to stop himself from slapping the infuriating Leader just in time. “My job,” he hissed, “would be a lot easier if my superior would give me sufficient time to prepare, maybe even let me or my aides to contact our ambassadors in this region for a proper briefing and planning, not just shove me in a shuttle in the middle of the bloody night and just wish for the best!”

“There was no time! We had to act quickly, and you knew that! You’ve always boasted being a quick thinker, were you so overcome by the good looks of the Sovereign that you let your genitals do your thinking for you?”

“My geni- Ren, have you taken leave of your senses?”

“I am your Supreme Leader!”

“And I am the commander of your military forces, you utter imbecile, not the head of your diplomatic corps!”

Ren looked like he was about to strangle Hux with his bare hands. The air was thick with the promise of violence and the shadows seemed to grow darker and larger as the seconds dragged on. Hux stood his ground. He might die right here and right now but he would not die as a coward. Finally, Ren let his shoulders drop and took a deep, steadying breath. The shadows receded and light, if only artificial, returned to the room.

“You’re lucky I’ll be needing you in that capacity very soon, Hux.”

“Oh?” Hux tried to hide his shaking hands by folding them behind his back and standing at parade rest. The familiar pose soothed his frayed nerves and he felt his breathing become easier.

“The Sovereign and her advisors thought to take advantage of your, um, predicament and tried to hold you for ransom. It seems someone on this planet is capable of thinking on their feet.”

Hux decided to ignore the cheap shot. A much more urgent thought surfaced. “Ren, what have you done with the Sovereign?”

“What? Nothing! I’m planning on gifting her position back to her as a sign of the First Order’s benevolence once we’ve conquered the system. They’ve had their chance of peaceful co-operation and thrown it away by locking you up and now I need to show them the error of their ways.”

“Right. Well then. I assume the ground assault has begun, and I thank you for refraining from orbital bombardment until my safe return but I’m ready to give the order as soon as – Ren?” Hux trailed into silence in the face of a horrible grin spreading on Ren’s face.

“No assault, not yet. I came alone.”

“Alone.”

“Well, I don’t trust anyone else to come up with a proper invasion plan, now do I?”

“Ren. Supreme Leader, you came here alone? No back up? No support troops? Have you even a transport? Does anyone know you’re here?”

“Of course I have transport. And it’d be no fun if I’d told people I’d be coming.”

“Fun.” Hux was stuck on repeating Ren’s words back at him. This was his Leader. The public face of his proud Order. Having fun, sauntering on alien planets as if they’d belong to him to play hide and seek with his own High Command.

“To be fair, Grand Marshal, practically no one knows you’re being held as a prisoner, and I thought you might want it to remain so.”

Hux blinked. This was unexpected. Maybe Ren did care for the Order’s reputation after all. He felt grateful and told him so. It was probably a trick of the lights but Hux thought he saw a slight blush spreading on Ren’s cheeks.

The Supreme Leader cleared his throat. “We probably should get going. The palace guards might turn up at any moment.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Ren.”

“What’s wrong _now_ , Hux? What _is_ your problem?”

“Ren,” Hux closed his eyes and gestured at himself. “Ren, I’m _naked_.”

 

*** 

 

It was funny, Hux mused, how in a matter of a mere day even the most structured life could take a turn towards the surreal. Here he was, the esteemed Grand Marshal of the First Order, commander of the most formidable military force in the galaxy, second only (but only in rank, his treacherous mind supplied) to the Supreme Leader, sneaking through the bleak corridors of the detention level of an otherwise opulent palace.

Barefoot. Bare-arsed, too, to his eternal embarrassment.

Ren had glared at him at first, lips pursed in annoyance, but had stripped his tunic and belt and shoved them in Hux’s hands. The garment was just long enough to cover his modesty, provided he moved with care. Ren was bulkier, though, and Hux was feeling trapped inside the tunic, the sleeves hanging way past his fingertips and the padding and the cinched belt cocooning him in an unfamiliar warmth.

And the smell. The smell was driving him mad. It wasn’t unpleasant, just strange and, and – _Rennish_. And as if that wasn’t enough, the source of the warmth and the smell and the suffocating abundance of fabric large enough to wrap a star destroyer in was skulking about with his biceps on display like it was nothing at all. As if it was not just about the most obscene thing Hux had ever seen.

He needed to focus elsewhere. The hem of the tunic would not cover any incidents caused by errant thinking. The diplomatic ties had been severed – or were about to be severed – and the Supreme Leader had expressed his wish for military action and the offenders to be shown their place. A tiny part of Hux was flattered at the Leader’s unwillingness to let the mistreatment of his Grand Marshal to go unpunished; a larger, more paranoid part of him suspected that Ren had sent him planetside for the specific purpose of being humiliated and then used as an excuse for a brutal show of power.

Or Ren simply was after any reason to get out of office and have a little adventure. Hux would not put it past him.

Be that as it may, an invasion plan was what Hux had been tasked to do and he would not ignore an order however dubious its motives were. This system would be a valuable addition to the Order’s growing empire. Out of the three inhabited planets only two were able to properly sustain life, the third being used only for mineral extraction, it’s environment barely tolerable for human life. The Sovereign ruled absolute over all three of them, so she was the key to the inevitable subjugation. If she was smart, and despite his little misadventure Hux knew she was precisely that, a full-on assault might not even be necessary. Once back on the bridge of the _Finalizer_ Hux could call in the _Fearless_ and the _Indomitable_ , along with their supporting fleets and their presence alone might be enough to drive the Sovereign to her knees.

No. No, no, no. Hux could not think about anyone on their knees in a wake of his glorious victory. No. Orbit equations. Ion cannon components in alphabetical order. The most senior members of the Admiralty. Snow.

Control re-established, he had to take a few running steps to catch up with Ren who thankfully had not noticed Hux’s minor lapse in concentration. “Do you know where we’re going to? You seem to be taking the scenic route.”

Ren merely grunted in answer and turned around yet another corner. Hux padded behind, cursing as the cold floor was starting to sting his toes. “Supreme Leader?”

“Shush.” Ren was standing still, one hand extended back to point a finger at Hux. Hux glared at the gesture, but halted, straining to hear whatever it was that had alerted Ren. The Supreme Leader tilted his head, nostrils flared, like some exotic predator scenting the air for blood. He seemed to be satisfied with what he’d sensed, and for apparently no reason at all chose to turn right at the next crossing corridor. Hux may not have spent a lot of time in the palace, but he was fairly certain that this route took them back towards the cell he had just escaped from.

“Supreme Leader! Ren! Are you sure this is the way out?”

Suddenly Ren was all over him, his arms wrapping around Hux’s waist and dragging him behind a square steel column at the side of the corridor. “Ren! What-“

“I said shush, Hux.” He pressed his hand over Hux’s mouth, ignoring the narrowed eyes and indignant, but quiet, hiss. This time, Hux heard the footsteps of several guards first approaching, but thankfully heading in the left corridor.

“Now, I have disabled the security cameras as we go along, at a wide radius. This doesn’t mean that they cannot monitor our progress. Am I correct?” Ren’s voice was a low growl by Hux’s ear. As Ren’s hand was still covering Hux’s mouth he nodded his agreement. “There are at least a dozen guards approaching us now but trust me when I say that there are plenty more around, and I am using my ‘ _mystical nonsense’_ as you so lovingly put it not three days ago both to sense where they are and if possible, to divert them. So yes, Hux, I know _precisely_ where we are, and where we are supposed to be going to. Stop complaining, follow my lead, and I’ll get us out. Understood?”

This time, Hux couldn’t trust himself to even nod. He stood rigidly still, sandwiched between the hard, cold wall and the solid, warm bulk of Ren’s body, eyes wide and willing his body to stop trembling. He was completely surrounded by Ren, suffocating in his stupid too large tunic with the equally idiotic too long sleeves, being loomed over by his too wide shoulders and too large muscles, his too long hair and his too warm breath tickling Hux’s ear. Feet freezing and body overheating, Hux was beginning to panic at the close proximity of another human being when Ren mercifully lowered his hand but did not otherwise release Hux. His expression changed from mildly annoyed to downright dangerous as he raised his head to look down the corridor.

“They’re behind me, aren’t they?” Hux mouthed the question, this time tensing for completely different reasons.

“Yes they are,” Ren answered, a bloodthirsty grin spreading on his face. “Yes, they are.”

With that his lightsaber hummed to life, and he rounded the column one hand already outstretched, moving so fast that Hux was nearly knocked to his knees in the progress. He recovered quickly, instinctively reaching for his blaster and growling in frustration when he remembered that it had been confiscated along with his clothes and the rest of his possessions.

The fight was over almost as soon as it had begun. Hux peered round the column, then took a step forwards in awe. Ren stood in the middle of the carnage, his chest rising and falling as he steadied his breath. Blood spattered his bare arms, and as he raised his hand to brush his hair back from his face Hux thought the time stood still. His hands clenched into fists, and the sensation of fingernails pressing into his palms brought him back to his senses. This was laughable. Utterly ridiculous. Behaviour fit for a hormonal subadult, not for a man of his station. Hux crouched down to retrieve a blaster from a dead man’s hand. The design of the weapon was strange, but the basics would nevertheless be the same so Hux felt confident he could familiarize himself with the gun fast enough if needed.

Ren was already on the move when Hux straightened from his crouch. He took off running but stopped abruptly and nearly screamed with pain as he stepped on a sharp piece of broken body armour. Ren skidded to a halt and returned to hoist Hux over his shoulder without a word and continued down the corridor.

The indignity of being lugged about like a trooper’s field bag did not escape Hux and he vowed he’d do his very best to convey his exact feelings to Ren. Right after the awful bumping and jolting had stopped. Hux was ready to pound his fists to Ren’s backside, to beg to be let down, he’d take his chances limping rather than get any more nauseous by Ren’s bouncing gait and the throbbing pain on the sole of his foot. Whether or not Ren had noticed Hux’s despair, he stopped and Forced a door open. He stepped into the room and unceremoniously dropped Hux to the ground, bending the door back to its frame.

The room was bleak, with bare walls and only one empty desk and a rickety chair as furnishings. Hux hopped to the chair and bent his leg to investigate the damage. The wound seemed clean enough, there seemed to be nothing sticking to it, but it kept bleeding rather badly.

“Supreme Leader.”

“What?”

“Do you have anything to use as a bandage?”

“What?”

“My foot. I’m bleeding. Do you have anything to use as a bandage?”

Ren stepped closer, crouched down and took Hux’s foot in his hands, twisting it by the ankle for inspection. Hux grabbed a tight hold of the armrest when Ren ran his fingers gently over the wound. He couldn’t remember ever being touched this much during one day, or possibly even in a course of a month. Or a year. It was beginning to fray his nerves.

Ren leaned back, rose to his feet and to Hux’s horror removed his undershirt. “Here. Use this.” He dropped the garment to Hux’s lap where it sat untouched for the countless seconds it took for Hux to recover from the complete shock Ren had caused. The wound kept bleeding, however, so he wrapped the tank top around his foot, trying to put pressure on the injury. Ren had returned to the door, one hand pressed on the bent steel, listening intently. It did not take a tactical genius to come to the conclusion that they’d be trapped in here if the palace guards should find them.

Hux sighed and looked at the narrow window high up on the wall. He would certainly fit through it, Ren would have more trouble but it shouldn’t be completely impossible. He hobbled to the wall and reached up to check if the window could be opened, and where it would lead. It was high, even for a man of is height. Hux rose to the toes of his uninjured foot and still was barely able to touch the sill. A strange, keening sound from Ren stopped him, and he dropped to turn around, adjusting the hem of the tunic and lowering the belt back to his waist.

Ren was bent slightly forwards, his hands clutched at his lower abdomen. Hux frowned. He hadn’t seen Ren getting injured, but the man was sure to keep it a secret until it was impossible to hide. Hux couldn’t see any blood but that didn’t mean anything – although he thought the victims of internal bleeding were supposed to turn pale and Ren’s chest and neck were frankly an alarming shade of crimson.

“Supreme Leader? Are you all right?”

Ren bent further forwards and averted his gaze. He visibly flinched when Hux stepped forwards and that made Hux pause, alarmed. “Ren? If you are injured, please tell me. I need to know if there’s anything threatening your well-being.” And because he couldn’t have stopped himself even at the face of certain death, he added “it’s my _job_ , after all.”

“I’m fine, Hux.”

“Are you sure? You seem decidedly unwell.”

Ren still didn’t raise his gaze from the floor. “I am fine, Hux. Perfectly fine. I just need you to shut up for just a minute.”

“But –“

“Hux! Shut your mouth! That’s an order! Do not look at me, do not think, do not – just, just stop _existing_ for a minute, all right?”

That was both baffling and hurtful. Hux took a step back and went back to trying to open the window.

“Kriffing hell, Hux, get away from there! Don’t do that, please. Just sit down and be quiet. I’ll deal with the window. Just give me a moment.”

“Stop doing what, Supreme Leader? I was merely trying to get us out of this room.”

Ren straightened from his bent position slowly, hands still hovering by the front of his trousers. The strange redness was receding from his skin and he was breathing more steadily. A some sort of cramp, then, Hux concluded with relief. Nothing to worry about. Ren focused, and the window opened with ease. He hoisted himself up, made an impossible-looking turn and went through it feet first. Soon after, his head and shoulders appeared, and he extended a hand. “Are you coming, Grand Marshal? I hear the gardens are absolutely _divine_ at this time of year.”

For a moment Hux considered returning to his cell and leaving all of this nonsense behind. He could live peacefully there, getting three solid meals a day and if he behaved well maybe even a pair of trousers. Heaving a deep sigh, he limped forwards and took the proffered hand. Something tingly and warm wrapped around him and he rose from the floor to the level of Ren’s overly smug face, then he was squeezing himself trough the window and _then_ squealing in a most undignified way and grabbing a hold of Ren because there was nothing under his feet but several meters of thin air and the ground far, far down below them.

“Mystical nonsense, Hux. This is nothing but some mystical nonsense,” Ren said and Hux would have punched him had he been able to loosen his death grip on Ren’s shoulders. They descended steadily and once on the ground Ren looked around and nudged Hux to get him moving.

“The shuttle’s this way. Come on!”

They had jogged and hobbled, respectively, for quite some time before the penny dropped. Hux nearly tripped over his feet. The stance, the hands, the blush.

Oh.

_Oh._

 

*** 

 

“I think it’s gone this way.”

“The shuttle did not fly away by itself. Ren, just admit that you’re lost.”

“I am not lost, I know exactly where the shuttle is, I just have – misplaced the correct route.”

Hux dug deeper to replenish his rapidly vanishing patience. His feet hurt, badly, one from the injury and the other for having stepped on numerous sharp and unpleasant things. It was remarkable how even the most even-looking ground could hide painful surprises for anyone caught walking on it without the protection of their shoes. In a weird sort of way Hux was glad he his newly acquired blaster had been forgotten on the desk when they made their escape through the window, this time he might have not been able to resist the impulse to shoot Ren in the back.

“Ren, you clearly have no idea where we are. Admit it, you’re lost.”

“Okay. Fine. If that’s what it takes to make you shut up, I admit it, we’re lost.” Ren turned his head to glare at Hux over his shoulder. “Now let me find our way back.”

Hux hopped on one foot to a smooth, white stone bench beneath a large tree with long branches bending towards the ground. The gold-green leaves were large and pleasantly fragrant, the two moons were full and beautiful, and the quiet, tasteful sound of small fountain nearby made for a positively romantic experience had Hux’s mood been slightly less murderous. He lowered himself to the bench with a groan and massaged his tired legs. He watched Ren walk first in one direction, then to the other, as he looked for any familiar landmarks. Hux let his weariness take over and leaned against the tree.

“Supreme Leader.” He really didn’t have the energy to raise his hand to brush away the strands of hair obscuring his vision. “Tell me, did you steal one of our shuttles?”

“I didn’t steal anything, they all belong to me by default.”

“But it is one of ours, right?”  

“Yes, why?”

“Do you have your comm link with you?”

Ren stopped his pacing and sighed, his chest inflating in a most infuriating way. “Yes, Hux, I do have my comm link with me. Now are you going to tell me what you are on about, or do you want me to find out myself?”

Hux sat up and winced at the protest his muscles were making. He needed to up his exercise regime. Or rather, he needed to find a way to add more hours to the day to up his exercise regime. “Because, my glorious Leader, as you well should know all our vessels have tracking devices built in them. And unless you have ordered the _Finalizer_ off orbit, all you have to do is to comm the bridge and _ask them where you left the damned shuttle!”_

Ren froze, then turned slowly, his face twisted in anger. “Tell me, Hux, why do I keep such an insolent bastard on my payroll? Give me one good reason not to shove you through that tree right now.” But he was fishing for his comm link from his trouser pocket as he spoke.

With a few _do not ask questions, Lieutenant_ thrown in, and apparently causing a great deal of havoc by the power of his speech alone, Ren finally seemed satisfied with the directions he had received. Hux crooked a tired smile at him. “You really need to have more faith in the Order you claim to lead, Ren. It’s not just you alone against the universe.”

“And here I was thinking that the universe already was more or less already on our side,” Ren muttered. He helped Hux back on his feet, the large, warm hand enveloping Hux’s fingers for a tiny moment longer than necessary.

“You know what I mean, Ren. The Order is more than just a weapon to be used to avenge your personal grievances. We are willing to follow you, but you need to start leading us.”

“Here you go again. Am I not part of the Order yet? After all these years do you still think of me as an outsider?”

“You certainly act like it! Like you weren’t a part of the whole. People obey you out of fear, not because they believe you have their best interests at heart and they trust your leadership.” Hux was too tired for philosophical discussions on the nature and theories of leadership and best practices of human capital management. Besides, they still had to find their way out of this stars-forsaken planet and back to the awaiting haven that was his own shower in his own quarters, right before falling in his own bed.

Ren fell quiet, thankfully, and led them at a reasonable pace through the gardens towards a low hedge which separated the private palace garden from the parts which were open to the public. Hux had to swallow a considerable amount of pride before asking Ren to help him to scale it and to his credit Ren not only helped him but managed it without unnecessary gloating. Hux thought he recognized the path to the spaceport. “Is that where you landed? At the busiest part of the city?”

“Well, somewhere else would have caught everyone’s attention, wouldn’t it?”

“How did you manage that?”

“I can be persuasive when I need to be,” Ren shrugged. Then, with a hiss of “ _guards!_ ” he once again grabbed Hux by his waist and pressed him against a tacky statue depicting some ancient hero pointing an accusing finger to the sky. He pressed his nose to Hux’s neck and let his hands rove over his body. “Come on, act like you love me.”

Hux made a hesitant attempt at caressing Ren’s arms, then settled on a hug and resting his forehead on the broad shoulder. Something nagged at his mind.

“Ren.”

“Mmh?”

“I’m not wearing any trousers.”

“So you keep telling me.”

“So I need you to keep your hands _on top of_ the tunic unless you want to attract too much attention.”

Ren pulled back a little. Hux couldn’t identify the odd expression on his face before a small smile tugged at his lips. “We seem to be veering towards something unforeseen, Grand Marshal.”

“Are we indeed, Supreme Leader?”

“Do you have any objections?”

“I don’t know, Ren. I cannot tell if this is wise, or something that I want. I need time to think this through.” This was something utterly unfamiliar to Hux. To be so close to someone after such a long time, to actually want to touch and be touched in return, not to feel threatened by the close presence of Ren. Maybe it was the tunic that had overwhelmed him with its ingrained Ren-ness. He had found Ren fascinating, at least before being on the receiving end of his rage, and diverse manifestations of his physical attraction to Ren had been a recurring theme of his more vivid dreams.

Hux let out a breath and surprised himself by pressing a chaste kiss on Ren’s mouth. The Supreme Leader pulled him closer and one of his hands went to cradle the back of Hux’s head. The kiss deepened, became more passionate, until they both pulled apart with wide eyes and gasping for breath.

“Okay. Right. We probably should get going.” Ren’s chest and neck were beginning to show the now familiar shades of red. “Or do you need a moment?”

“I think I’m fine.” Hux’s heart was trying to beat its way out of his ribcage. “Have the guards gone?”

Ren’s eyes unfocused as he searched the surroundings. “Yes, we’re good. Let’s go. The shuttle’s not far away.”

They continued on, Hux still cursing every step his sore feet were forced to take. Ren might have agreed to carry him, he was certainly strong enough, but Hux couldn’t bring himself to ask. The impromptu bandage was beginning to chafe and the wound was getting unbearably painful. After only a few steps he had to stop and rest his injured leg. Ren kept on going but Hux was too out of breath with pain to call after him. Something alerted Ren to Hux’s plight, and he made yet another about turn to retrieve his lagging Grand Marshal.

“You bloody idiot,” was all he said before he ducked under Hux’s arm and took a tight hold around his waist. It was easier like this. Hux took full advantage of the situation and leaned heavily on Ren, his fingers curling around the man’ thick wrists. Their pace was slow but steady, and Hux could already see the familiar shape of a First Order vessel on top of a platform. It was the most beautiful thing he remembered seeing in a long time, on par with the newly built Starkiller and the very first time he had seen the _Finalizer_ gliding out of her dock in the glow of a distant sun. Almost as good was the sight of the elevator. Hux was sure even a short flight of stairs would have done him in.

“Stop. Ren, stop.”

“Do you need another break? The shuttle’s just there.”

“We’re in public. I’m half naked.” They had reached the top of the platform, and Hux was painfully aware of the heavy traffic around them. The gardens had been quite empty, both due to the lateness of the hour, and as Hux suspected, Ren’s influence but up here there really was nowhere to hide.

Ren was struggling not to laugh. “Don’t worry,” he managed, blinking tears from his eyes, “I’ll cover your ass.”

Hux pinched his eyes shut and covered his face with the overlong sleeves. His Leader. The glorious chosen one, the one who was destined to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy. The one Hux was sworn to follow to the gates of hell and to serve and to protect until he died in battle was almost bent in double laughing at his own joke.  

“Yes, good, thank you. How about we leave now?”

Ren wiped the remaining tears away and nodded, carefully looking everywhere but Hux. “No one’s going to notice you, just walk normally.” His voice was still shaking. Hux gave him the glare usually reserved for badly performing underlings and stepped out to the platform with the grace and poise of a limping emperor. He’d order for a more thorough media surveillance. If any hint of his humiliation would appear anywhere he would not hesitate to give his gunners an opportunity to practice their pinpoint targeting.

The shuttle was heaven. It was cool balm on a feverish forehead, a glass of water after a hike in the desert. Hux touched lovingly its sturdy walls, caressed the uncomfortable seat before settling down on it, let his gaze wander over the dull, grey interior, noting with approval the utmost efficiency and practicality in its design. Ren had made a beeline to the cockpit and was preparing the shuttle for a flight. It felt like an eternity but finally the shuttle shuddered to life and lifted off. Hux closed his eyes.

He must have dozed off because the sting of the makeshift bandage being removed from the wound on his foot jolted him wide awake. Ren was seated on the opposite seat, having retrieved the med kit, and had lifted Hux’s foot to his lap. He was gently unwrapping his ruined shirt from around the injured limb. Hux watched, transfixed, as Ren inspected the wound, soaking in the warmth of his hands to his still freezing toes.

“I’m sorry about your shirt.” Ren had tossed it to the floor where it lay bloodied and tattered. Ren shrugged.

“Don’t worry about it. It served its purpose.”

Ren was wiping Hux’s foot clean with antiseptic wipes from the med kit. There was something almost hypnotic in his movements and Hux found himself breathing to the rhythm of Ren’s fingers moving over his skin. He shook himself clear of the spell and coughed.

“Why did you send me down there? Did you know I was to be humiliated? Was it to your amusement, or did you need an excuse for the military involvement?”

The antiseptic wipe pressed on his wound and Hux hissed at the sudden pain. Ren threw the wipe aside and took out a bacta patch. He applied it carefully over the wound and briefly wrapped his hand over Hux’s toes. He did not release the foot from his lap but ran his fingers over the sensitive skin to draw circles around Hux’s ankle.

“What if told you it was a bit of both? The negotiations dragged on, and we need the mineral supply. The Sovereign was getting ideas above her head. As were you.”

“What?”

“I do not appreciate your lack of respect, Grand Marshal.” Ren did not meet Hux’s eyes. His hand inched higher, splayed across Hux’s calf and stayed there for a while.

“I do respect your position, Supreme Leader.” Hux was tensing up from the mixed messages he was receiving. Ren’s tone of voice was quite calm even though his words promised punishment, and Hux knew his touch could turn from caressing to brutally painful in a heartbeat.

“My position, but not me. You do not respect me.” The other hand joined the first, massaging Hux’s skin gently.

Hux leaned forwards, frowning. “Supreme Leader, what is going on? You send me to conduct doomed negotiations, not respecting _my_ position, then mount a one-man rescue mission regardless of your own safety, not telling your own command crew where you are – “ Hux was cut out by Ren suddenly surging forwards and slamming their lips together, his hand traveling further up along Hux’s leg, past the knee, stopping to squeeze the inner thigh. The other hand had found its way to Hux’s hair, holding on tightly.

Hux struck Ren’s chest with both of his fists, splayed his hands and pushed hard. “Speak to me, Ren. What are you doing?”

Ren released his hold although his hand remained on Hux’s thigh. He was clearly struggling for words, emotions flickering across his face. Hux shook his head and cupped his cheeks.

“You asked me if I thought of you as an outsider. You think that I do not respect you, Kylo Ren, only the title of the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Is this what you are after? My approval? My attention?”

“The Order is all that I have left, Hux. If you don’t respect or want me, neither will your subordinates, and then where does that leave me?”

Hux pulled back, incredulous. “I don’t know whether to be flattered or insulted. Was all this theatre set up because you don’t want to hone your people management skills? And here I was thinking that this was an overly complicated seduction scene, and I had to seriously find a way to limit your access to bad holodramas.”

Ren’s fingers were now moving dangerously close to the crease of Hux’s thigh, sliding underneath the tunic. “Yes, Hux, I do want the Order to be properly mine, loyal to me personally as they are to you –“ Hux huffed at that, the Admiralty in particular was usually more trouble than what it was worth – “but I want you, too. To be mine.”

Ren tugged at Hux until he fell forwards and arranged him on his lap, straddling the Supreme Leader. Hux wrapped his arms around Ren’s neck and settled down to enjoy the body heat and the surprisingly comfortable lap.

“I find you irritating, uptight and a conniving bastard,” Ren clarified, “but I still want you.”

“And you are impulsive, overly emotional and immature, but for some reason I do find myself attracted to you.”

“Good.”

“Good. I’m still not wearing any trousers.”

 “How is that a problem?”


End file.
